Stool with a controllably upwardly extendable and downwardly retractable lifting handle means



July 28, 1964 TALL G. S ETAL STOOL WITH A CONTROLLABLY UPWARDLY EXTENDABLE AND DOWNWARDLY RETRACTABLE LIFTING HANDLE MEANS Filed May 14. 1962 3a 3a I 3 FIG. 5 3

32 27- E6 F|G.3

36 INVENTORS.

I as 6. Jun /7 Ber/1 ,4. J'TALL United States Patent 3,142,270 STOOL WITH A CONTROLLABLY UPWARDLY EXTENDABLE AND DOWNWARDLY RETRACT- ABLE LIFTING HANDLE MEANS Cash G. Stall and Beth A. Stall, both of 2400 Manhattan Ave, Manhattam Beach, Calif., assignors of one-tenth to Gadget-of-the-Month Club, lino, North Hollywood, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 14, 1962, Ser. No. 194,336 Claims. (Cl. 10S96) Generally speaking, the present invention comprises a novel stool which may take various different forms such as a portable utility stool for kitchens, or other locations in and around the house, a bathroom stool, a farm milk stool, a footstool or ottoman which may or may not be upholstered, or the like. Indeed, the novel stool of the present invention may be adapted to virtually any type of purpose or usage for which a stool is suitable.

The major feature of the present invention is the provision of a normally completely retracted, but controllably upwardly extendable, lifting handle means carried by the stool, and the further provision of a novel type of controllably engageable operating means for causing upward extension of the handle means so that the stool can be easily lifted with virtually no stooping being required and can be carried to any desired location and there placed upon the floor or other horizontal surface, after which the handle can be released and automatically returned to fully retracted position relative to the stool so that it will in no way interfere with normal use of the stool.

In one specific exemplary form of the invention, the above-mentioned controllably engageable operating means for causing upward extension of the handle comprises pedally engageable members pivotally carried by side portions of the stool at multiple locations around the periphery thereof for easy and simple operation by merely applying ones foot (usually the toe thereof) thereto. This novel exemplary form of the invention is particularly advantageous because said pedally engageable members normally comprise parts of the side wall portions of the stool and therefore do not project or protrude in any manner which might tend to interfere with normal use of the stooland yet they are conveniently available for pedal operation from several different locations around the stool whenever the handle means is to be extended upwardly to enable it to be easily manually grasped for stool-lifting purposes.

It should be noted that the novel no-stoop stool construction of the present invention is such as to lend itself very well to being constructed of a great variety of different types of material such as wood, metal, plastic, or the like. Furthermore, it lends itself very well to being provided with a decorative and/or protective exterior cover means and, if desired, with suitable padding whereby to effectively comprise an upholstered stool. However, it will be described hereinafter in one exemplary simple form with the specific understanding that the stool is not specifically so limited but may be modified substantially within the broad scope of the inventive concept.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel stool having controllably extendable and retractable handle means and novel means for causing such controllable extension and/or retraction; said invention embodying the broad generic features referred to above and/or any of the specific aspects thereof referred to above and being of relatively simple, inexpensive construction such as to be conducive to widespread use of the improved stool.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which follows hereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of the invention but not specifically limiting it) and said objects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of the detailed description which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present lnvention, one exemplary embodiment is illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single drawing sheet and is described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a reduced-size perspective view showing one exemplary form of the invention resting upon a floor and showing the device in actuated relationship with the handle means in the upwardly extended position so that it can be manually grasped for lifting and carrying the entire device, and also showing one of the pedally engageable operating means in operated relationship such as to cause said upward extension of the handle means.

FIG. 2 is a larger-scale sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows 22 of FIG. 1. However, in this view, the extended position of the handle means and the fully operated or actuated positions of the two pedally engageable operating means at right and left sides of the device are shown in broken lines, while the normal fully retracted and unoperated positions thereof are shown in solid or full lines.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 looking upwardly in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the longitudinal shaft of the handle means looking down upon an abutment member carried by the shaft and adapted to be abutted by any one of the operating means whereby to lift the handle upwardly into the extended position shown in FIG. 1 in solid lines and shown in FIG. 2 in broken lines. This view also shows the means for attaching said abutment means to the shaft. The view is taken in the direction of the arrows 44 of FIG. 2 and omits all structure below the level of said abutment means for drawing simplification reasons.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of FIG. 2 and shows a portion of the vertical bearing means which mounts the longitudinal shaft of the handle means. This view omits all structure below the level of said bearing means for drawing simplification reasons.

Referring to the figures for exemplary purposes, one illustrative embodiment of the invention takes a typical exemplary form wherein it comprises a stool body structure means, indicated generally at 10, having a base portion 11, a substantially flat horizontal top portion 12, and an interconnecting structural supporting portion which, in the example illustrated, comprises four side wall portions 13 which are joined to each other at the four side edges 14 and which are joined to the flat horizontal top portion 12 at the four edges 15.

It will be noted that, in this particular exemplary form of the invention, the stool body structure means 10 is of substantially frusto-pyramidal shape as defined by said four side wall portions 13 and said flat top portion 12.

Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the specific form illustrated, the joining side edges 14 and top edges 15 and four corners 16 are all slightly rounded in order to provide a more pleasing configuration and one which is less likely to cause inadvertent damage to any other structure or surface with which any of such corners or edges may accidentally come into contact.

It should also be noted that, in the specific example illustrated, the stool body structure means, indicated generally at 10, includes four corner posts or structural members 17 inside of the edges 14 and acting to provide supplementary compressive structural strength to the entire stool body structure means 10.

The invention also includes handle means carried by the stool body structure means for movement between two extreme positions, one of said extreme positions comprising a retracted position relative to the stool body structure means and the other of said positions comprising an extended position projecting from said stool body structure means into a conveniently manually graspable position to facilitate lifting and carrying the stool body structure means to any other desired location.

In the specific exemplary form of the invention illustrated, said handle means is designated generally by the reference numeral 18 and comprises a longitudinal shaft 19 normally positioned vertically and centrally within the stool body structure means and provided with a fiat, horizontally directed, manually graspable knob 20 at the upper end thereof normally positioned, when in fully retracted relationship, at the center of the top portion 12 of the stool body structure means 10 and flush therewith by reason of lying within a central recess 21 in the top portion 12 of the stool body structure means 10. This is clearly shown in the solid line position of said knob 20 in FIG. 2, while the upwardly extended position of said knob 20 is clearly shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 and in broken lines in FIG. 2.

It should be noted that, in the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, the above-described mounting of the handle means 18 for vertically centrally positioned reciprocation between the upper extended position and the normal lower fully retracted position is facilitated by the provision of vertical bearing means indicated generally at 22 in FIG. 2.

Said vertical bearing means 22, in the specific form shown, comprises an upper bearing member 23 fastened underneath the top portion of the stool body structure means 10 by way of a spacer member 24. The member 23 is centrally apertured, as indicated at 25, to vertically slidably receive the longitudinal shaft 19 and additionally carries a lower bearing member 26 by way of an intermediate spacing member 27 fastened to the lower surface of the upper bearing member 23. The lower beariing member 26 is centrally apertured, as indicated at 28, in alignment with the aperture in the upper bearing member 26 is centrally apertured, as indicated longitudinal shaft 19 of the handle means 18. This provides an effective vertical bearing means 22 adapted to maintain substantially true vertical reciprocating move ment of the handle means 18. However, various other functionally equivalent structures may be employed in lieu thereof.

The invention also includes controllably engageable operating means effectively coupled or coupleable with respect to the handle means 18 for controllably extending said handle means 18 upwardly into the extended relationship shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 and shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, when desired. When said controllably engageable operating means is returned to its initial pre-operation position, the handle means returns to its normal fully retracted position, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, wherein the flat manually graspable knob 20 at the top thereof has its top surface lying in substantially the same plane as the top surface of the top portion 12 of the stool body structure means 10.

In the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, the above-referred-to controllably engageable operating means takes a specific exemplary form, indicated generally at 29, and includes four pedally engageable members or panels 30 pivotally mounted by means 31 in similarly shaped aperture or cutout portions 32 at the center bottom portion of each side Wall 13 of the stool body structure means 10 whereby to normally hang downwardly in a manner appearing to comprise a part of the adjacent side wall 13, but to be capable of being inwardly deflected by the application of a persons toe, as indicated at 33, to the outer surface thereof.

In other words, in the specific example illustrated,

each of the pedally engageable members or panels 30 may be said to effectively comprise a toe-plate, and since there are four such toe-plates, it will readily be understood that any of the four can be operated by the application of a persons toe thereto at any of four different 10- cations around the stool body structure means 10 for the purpose of causing upward extension of the handle means into the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, and in solid lines in FIG. 1 where it can be manually grasped by a persons hand, as indicated at 34, to enable the person to lift and carry the stool to any other desired location.

It will be understood that when the stool is placed upon the floor or other horizontal surface at the new location and the manually graspable knob 20 is manually released, the entire handle means 18 will return to the fully retracted position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 so that it will in no way interfere with the use of the entire top surface of the stool in a conventional manner.

In the specific form illustrated, the controllably engageable operating means, indicated generally at 29, also includes four inwardly directed projection means 35 fastened to the corresponding pedally engageable members or panels 30 whereby any one of same will be effectively upwardly pivotally moved whenever the corresponding one of the pedally engageable members or panels 30 is inwardly deflected, such as is shown with respect to one of said panels in FIG. 1 as a result of engagement therewith of a persons toe 33. Whenever any one of said pedally engageable panels or members 30 is in- Wardly deflected by a persons toe in the manner shown in FIG. 1, it will move from its normal solid line position as shown in FIG. 2 into an inwardly and upwardly pivotally displaced fully actuated position as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. Normally only one of the toeplates 30 and projections 35 will be operated at any given time.

During such upward pivotal displacement of the inward projection 35. it causes upward extension of the handle means 18 by reason of engagement of the inner end of the projection 35 with an abutment means 36 which is fastened by suitable fastening means 37 to the lower end of the shaft 19 of the handle means 18. This will cause said abutment means 36 to move from its normal lowermost position, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, into its uppermost extreme position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, and will correspondingly extend the handle means 18 from its normal fully retracted position, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, into its extended position as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 and as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1.

The invention may also be provided with effective stop means for limiting the degree of handle-extending movement of the operating means indicated generally at 29. In the specific form of the invention illustrated, this comprises contact portions 38 of the inward projections 35 of the operating means 29, any one of which is adapted to contact the inside surface of the adjacent side wall 13 when in fully operated position as clearly shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. However, the stop means may be modified substantially and, in certain forms of the invention, eliminated, if desired.

In certain forms of the invention, the material of which the stool is made may have any of various different suitable finishes applied thereto to provide an attractive, wear-resistant, and easily-cleaned exterior surface. In other forms of the invention, rather than a mere finish, a decorative exterior cover (which may or may not be upholstered or padded) may be carried by the exterior surfaces of the stool. One such typical exterior decorative covering which might, for example, comprise linoleum, although the invention is not specifically so limited, is illustrated in broken lines at 39 in FIG. 2. It is understood that this is optional and may take virtually any desired form.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific description thereof set forth in this application are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specific structure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore. Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantially equivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventive concept of the present invention.

We claim:

1. A stool provided with means for facilitating the lifting thereof, comprising: a stool body structure means having a base portion, a top portion, and an interconnecting structural supporting portion; handle means carried by said stool body structure for movement between a lower retracted position relative to said stool body structure means and an extended position projecting upwardly from said stool body structure means into a conveniently manually graspable position to facilitate lifting and carrying said stool body structure means; and controllably engageable operating means positioned for effective coupling engagement with respect to said handle means for controllably extending said handle means into said extended position when said operating means is controllably engaged and operated in one manner, and for effectively causing said handle means to return to said retracted position when allowed to operate in a different manner by release of said controllably engageable operating means; said handle means comprising a longitudinal shaft normally positioned vertically and centrally within the stool body structure means in said retracted position and provided with a manually graspable knob at the upper end thereof normally positioned, when in said retracted relationship, substantially at the center of the top portion of said stool body structure means and substantially flush therewith.

2. A stool provided with means for facilitating the lifting thereof comprising: a stool body structure means having a base portion, a top portion, and an interconnecting structural supporting portion; handle means carried by said stool body structure for movement between a lower retracted position relative to said stool body structure means and an extended position projecting upwardly from said stool body structure means into a conveniently manually graspable position to facilitate lifting and carrying said stool body structure means; and controllably engageable operating means positioned for effective coupling engagement with respect to said handle means for controllably extending said handle means into said extended position when said operating means is controllably engaged and operated in one manner, and for effectively causing said handle means to return to said retracted position when allowed to operate in a different manner by release of said controllably engageable operating means; said handle means comprising a longitudinal shaft normally positioned vertically and centrally within the stool body structure means in said retracted position and provided with a manually graspable knob at the upper end thereof normally positioned, when in said retracted relationship, substantially at the center of the top portion of said stool body structure means and substantially flush therewith, said top portion of said stool body structure means being centrally provided with an aperture vertically receiving therethrough the vertical longitudinal shaft of said handle means and being provided with recess means around the upper end of said aperture for receiving said manually graspable knob at the upper end of said shaft in said manner substantially flush with the top portion of said stool body structure means when said handle means is in said retracted position.

3. A stool, as defined in claim 2, wherein said controllably engageable operating means comprises at least one pedally engageable operating member movably mounted with respect to said stool body structure means and inwardly provided with projection means controllably effectively cooperable with respect to a lower portion of said handle means for upward-lifting effective cooperation therewith in response to forcible deflection of said pedally engageable operating member whereby to vertically upwardly move said handle means toward said extended position, and whereby the return of said pedally engageable operating member from said deflected position into its normal position will effectively reverse said cooperation of said projection means with respect to said lower portion of said handle means and will allow said handle means to return downwardly into said retracted position.

4. A stool, as defined in claim 2, including vertical effective bearing means cooperating with said vertical longitudinal shaft for maintaining substantially true vertical reciprocating movement of said handle means relative to said stool body structure means during movement of said handle means between said retracted and extended positions and vice versa.

5. A stool, as defined in claim 2, including effective stop means for limiting the vertical upward extension of said handle means.

6. A stool, as defined in claim 2, wherein said stool body structure means is of substantially frusto-pyramidal shape having four side wall portions, a substantially flat top wall portion carried thereby, and slightly rounded joining edge and corner portions effectively connecting said side and top wall portions.

7. A stool, as defined in claim 2, wherein said stool body structure means effectively includes four cornerpositioned inside structural members providing great compressive structural strength to said stool body structure means.

8. A stool provided with means for facilitating the lifting thereof, comprising: a stool body structure means having a base portion, a top portion, and an interconnecting structural supporting portion; handle means carried by said stool body structure for movement between a lower retracted position relative to said stool body structure means and an extended position projecting upwardly from said stool body structure means into a conveniently manually graspable position to facilitate lifting and carrying said stool body structure means; and controllably engageable operating means positioned for effective coupling engagement with respect to said handle means for controllably extending said handle means into said extended position when said operating means is controllably engaged and operated in one manner, and for effectively causing said handle means to return to said retracted position when allowed to operate in a different manner by release of said controllably engageable operating means; said controllably engageable operating means comprising a plurality of pedally engageable operating members pivotally mounted with respect to said stool body structure means at a corresponding plurality of peripheral locations adjacent to the bottom thereof and symmetrically spaced relative to said handle means, each of said pedally engageable operating members being provided with inwardly directed projection means controllably effectively engageable with respect to a lower portion of said handle means for upward-lifting effective cooperation therewith in response to inward deflection of the corresponding pedally engageable operating member whereby to vertical- 1y upwardly move the handle means into said extended position, and whereby the return of said pedally engageable operating member from said inwardly deflected position into its normal position, will effectively disengage said inwardly directed projection means from said effective lifting engagement with respect to said lower end of said handle means and will allow said handle means to return downwardly into said retracted position.

9. A stool, as defined in claim 8, wherein said vertical longitudinal shaft of said handle means is provided with an abutment member adjacent the lower end thereof for abutted engagement by any one of said inward projection 7 means of any one of said pedally engageable operating members whereby to be eifectively vertically reciprocated in response to corresponding controllable pedal operation thereof.

10. A stool, as defined in claim 9 wherein said stool body structure means has four side wall portions, each of which carries one of said pivotally mounted pedally engageable operating members in the form of an operating panel adjacent to the bottom of said side wall portion whereby to cause controllable upward extension of the handle means to be effected by pedal engagement and in- Q .1 Ward deflection of any of said four operating panels at the bottom of any of the four side wall portions of the stool body structure means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 526,144 Carver Sept. 18, 1894 1,150,701 Penny Aug. 17, 1915 1,221,646 Zimmerman Apr. 3, 1917 1,699,710 Pearlman Jan. 22, 1929 1,802,362 Walter Apr. 28, 1931 

1. A STOOL PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR FACILITATING THE LIFTING THEREOF, COMPRISING: A STOOL BODY STRUCTURE MEANS HAVING A BASE PORTION, A TOP PORTION, AND AN INTERCONNECTING STRUCTURAL SUPPORTING PORTION; HANDLE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID STOOL BODY STRUCTURE FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A LOWER RETRACTED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID STOOL BODY STRUCTURE MEANS AND AN EXTENDED POSITION PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID STOOL BODY STRUCTURE MEANS INTO A CONVENIENTLY MANUALLY GRASPABLE POSITION TO FACILITATE LIFTING AND CARRYING SAID STOOL BODY STRUCTURE MEANS; AND CONTROLLABLY ENGAGEABLE OPERATING MEANS POSITIONED FOR EFFECTIVE COUPLING ENGAGEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID HANDLE MEANS FOR CONTROLLABLY EXTENDING SAID HANDLE MEANS INTO SAID EXTENDED POSITION WHEN SAID OPERATING MEANS IS CONTROLLABLY 